Most Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools and offices will reopen on Monday after last week’s devastating brush fires prompted districtwide closures. According to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, the decision is due to improved environmental conditions and the readiness of campuses.
“Conditions have improved in most areas, and our schools are ready to welcome back students and staff,” Carvalho said in a statement. He also said that safety measures were put into place, including replacing air filters and conducting thorough inspections to ensure safety.
While most schools will reopen, some in the fire-affected areas will not open until further notice. They include Canyon Charter Elementary, Kenter Canyon Elementary, and Palisades Charter Elementary, among others. Students in Marquez and Palisades Elementary Schools which were severely damaged will temporarily transfer to nearby schools.
Pasadena Unified and Malibu schools stay closed with some campuses suffering serious fire damage. So far, the Eaton Canyon fire alone damaged several campuses in Pasadena at the rate of destroying parts of them.
LAUSD has banned any outdoor activities and has also provided masks to reduce air quality concerns before reopening. District officials will closely monitor fire and weather conditions. An update will be placed at 10 p.m. Sunday and 5 a.m. Monday.
Custodians, maintenance teams, and PTA members have been working hard over the weekend to clean campuses. Crews cleared debris and secured loose windows during the peak of the windstorm.
But the school district, too, sounded optimistic. “Our community’s resilience will guide us through this recovery,” Carvalho said. LAUSD is also building support networks for displaced families and staff.
Now that fire containment is going smoothly, the district will continue focusing on student and staff safety but will gradually get back to normal operations.
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